Mixing and kneading apparatus

Abstract

In the case of a mixing and kneading apparatus for the, in particular, thermal treatment of products in the liquid, pasty and/or pulverulent state, with or without the supply and discharge of gases and vapors, in a housing (1), a shaft (2) rotating in said housing and having disk segments (3) or similar disc-like elements arranged on it, which segments or elements interact with mating kneading elements (7) fixed on the housing, the intention is to form, between the mating kneading elements (7), and between the mating kneading elements and the disk segments, an open space (12) in which a mixing arm (14) engages from the shaft (2). In this case, mixing arms (14) of different configurations engage in the open space (toric space 12) from the shaft (2).

We claim: 
     
       1. Mixing and kneading apparatus, which comprises: a housing; a shaft rotating in said housing and having similar disc-like elements arranged on said shaft; mating kneading elements fixed on said housing; wherein said disc-like elements interact with said mating kneading elements; an open toric space formed between the mating kneading elements and between the mating kneading elements and the disc-like elements; a plurality of mixing arms extending from the shaft which engage said open space; wherein the mixing arms following one after the other around the shaft are configured such that they work essentially the entire axial cross section of the open toric space. 
     
     
       2. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said disc-like elements are disc segments. 
     
     
       3. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said open space is an annular space. 
     
     
       4. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mixing arms include a stem and a crossbar. 
     
     
       5. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein within said open space at least some stems have different lengths than other stems. 
     
     
       6. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein within said open space at least some crossbars have different lengths than other crossbars. 
     
     
       7. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the crossbars of the mixing arms within said open space are at least one of set obliquely, curved and twisted in relation to a longitudinal axis of the housing. 
     
     
       8. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the stem and the crossbar are designed like a plowshare in cross section. 
     
     
       9. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the housing has an inner wall and the kneading elements have a width, wherein the distance of the shaft from the inner wall of the housing is greater than five times the width of the kneading elements. 
     
     
       10. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein mating kneading elements are arranged opposite each other. 
     
     
       11. Mixing and kneading apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the stem terminates approximately in the center of the open space.